Al Mukalla: Local government officials and health workers in Yemen’s southern city of Taiz are urging international aid organisations to deliver critical humanitarian aid supplies to the city which has been under an Al Houthi-imposed siege for over a year.
Government forces early last week achieved a major victory by partially lifting the rebels’ siege after taking control of strategic locations on the western side of the city.
“There is no more excuse for the international organisations to not send aid to the city,” Dr. Sadeq Al Shouja’a, the head of field hospitals in the city, told Gulf News.
Health officials say only a few trucks carrying aid have managed to cross into the city since the breaking of the siege.
“We received some medical equipment from Kuwaiti relief organisations, but we expected much more,” he said.
The Al Houthi siege and its indiscriminate shelling have brought residents to the brink of starvation and forced dozens of health facilities to close down.
There are only two functioning hospitals in the city along with a few field clinics treating over 13,000 people.
The hospitals which have run out of vital drugs and equipment are appealing to international organisations to take advantage of the lull in fighting to urgently send medical supplies.
Militarily, army commanders and resistance fighters said on Tuesday that Al Houthi rebels and forces loyal to the ousted president Ali Abdullah Saleh intensified attacks on the city in a bid to recapture new territories in the western part of the city.
Samer Al Haj, a spokesperson for the Yemen army, told Gulf News on Tuesday that government forces have thwarted many raids by the rebels around Ham mountain, the 35th Brigade camp and other areas.
“I think they have abandoned other fronts and returned to Taiz.” Al Haj said, adding that the Arab coalition has provided arms to the troops and allied tribesman.
They want them to keep pushing until they completely break the siege in the city.
Meanwhile, in the northern province of Jawf, 20 Al Houthi militants were killed and three others arrested in the Matoun district.
Abdullah Al Ashraf, a spokesman for the Jawf resistance, said that fierce battles were taking place between Al Houthis and government forces in the Mazwea region.
